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| Ilenikhena poses with his Man of the Match against AI-Ittihad |
Nigeria-born forward George Ilenikhena has received his first senior invitation to the Super Eagles at 19 years old. The striker, who plays for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, was called up after a strong start to the 2026/27 season in Saudi Arabia.
Ilenikhena, born in Lagos and raised in France after moving at age three, scored twice in Al-Ittihad's 2-1 victory over Al-Nassr on September 5 at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. The brace, scored in the 4th and 22nd minutes, took his tally to five goals in six games in all competitions this season. The 19-year-old joined Al-Ittihad from AS Monaco in February for a reported fee of 33 million euros. He has previously played for Amiens and Royal Antwerp.
According to reports, the call-up follows discussions with Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, who has monitored the forward for nearly a year. Ilenikhena has now pledged his international future to Nigeria, after being eligible for both Nigeria and France.
The invitation is for Nigeria's upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures. The Super Eagles are scheduled to host Madagascar in Uyo on September 23 before traveling to face Guinea-Bissau four days later.
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